On Jewish calendar: Bikkurim 16 Nissan (March-April)
On Jewish calendar: Lag L’Omer / Lag B’Omer 18 Iyyar (April-May)
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burn offering to the LORD. Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, and offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine. Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.'” Leviticus 23:9-14 NASB
HOLIDAY BACKGROUND
This is part of the Passover celebration that officially has its own significance. This is considered the early “first fruits” of harvest time, with Shavuot being the later one (see next holiday). This was also the beginning of the barley harvest. The Israelites would bring a sheaf, or wave offering, to the Temple. This day would mark the beginning of the official Counting of the Omer (barley sheaves): From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.” Leviticus 23:15-16
This count is often kept with a blessing said for each day of the Omer in a count from Passover to the Feast of Weeks. It denotes a promise of that greater part of the harvest which is to come. It has also been a day of miracles outdone only by Passover. It never became one of the High Holy Days, nor is it a “Sabbath” rest day; however it is still a special day.
The Omer count is a somewhat solemn time in modern traditional Judaism. Rabbinical accounts speak of a terrible plague that killed many but began to wane on the 33rd day of the Omer. Since that time, this thirty-third day of the Omer (or Lag B’Omer) is a holiday celebrated by traditional Jews. On this day, Israel celebrates with picnics, archery, weddings, and oddly enough, haircuts-especially “first” haircuts for two-year old boys. This is not a biblical holiday, but may be celebrated for the sake of solidarity with the Jewish people.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY?
On the day of First Fruits, Yeshua conquered death. Despite not being “discovered” by humanity until the morning, his rising from the dead itself was likely to have happened shortly after the closing of the Sabbath, as sunset heralds the beginning of the new day in Jewish tradition. Christians celebrate Easter as the day of the risen Lord, however, according to the Jewish calendar, we can see that it was on First Fruits that he rose. Scripture points this out:
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming…. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
This is significant, as it points to our Saviour as being one of the “first fruits” of the resurrected dead. If we are serious about celebrating the day that the Saviour rose from the dead, then First Fruits is the day of commemoration!